Brewers outfielder Blake Perkins sustained a fracture in his right shin after fouling a ball off himself during batting practice, manager Pat Murphy told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy and other reporters. Perkins will miss the next 3-4 weeks in recovery, and Murphy pointed to May as a best-case scenario for Perkins’ return to the big league roster.
It’s a tough setback for the 28-year-old Perkins, who has established himself as a superb defensive player over his two MLB seasons (both with Milwaukee). Perkins was a Gold Glove finalist in the NL center fielder category in 2024 after posting a +7.7 UZR/150, +10 Outs Above Average, and +8 Defensive Runs Saved over 956 1/3 innings up the middle for the Brewers. He also put his elite speed to good use on the basepaths, swiping 23 bases in 28 attempts.
The stolen bases were Perkins’ chief offensive contribution, as he hit only .240/.316/.332 over 434 plate appearances. This essentially matches his career line over 602 total PA at the big league level, translating to an 85 wRC+. While not ideal, the switch-hitting Perkins at least had a decent .271 average against left-handed pitching last season, making him a solid platoon partner for the left-handed hitting Garrett Mitchell in center field heading into 2025.
With Perkins out through April, the newly-signed Manuel Margot now looks to step right as Milwaukee’s top backup outfielder. Jackson Chourio will play every day in right field, and Margot (a right-handed bat) could spell either Mitchell or Sal Frelick in left field. Christian Yelich figures to see some time in left field but will probably get more DH time in his return from back surgery.
Isaac Collins, Brewer Hicklen, and Jared Oliva are other outfield options further down the depth chart, but the Margot signing indicates that Milwaukee wanted more of an experienced hand to fill in since Perkins is facing a fairly lengthy absence. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see the Brewers add another outfielder at some point this spring, either from the current free agent class or maybe later in March once other teams start making roster cuts.